HOUSTON – (By Cynthia Lescalleet for Realty News Report) – The core challenge for development is clear: design places that people will use, love, care for and that allow communities to thrive.
Build on that success as new projects are drawn to the growing vitality and together create a more dynamic city.
How to get there was the central theme at the Houston Architecture and Design Summit, presented by Bisnow at the InterContinental Houston Medical Center, where speakers discussed concepts, challenges and practical solutions shaping the future of Houston’s built environment.
Keynote speaker Jon Pickard, principal at Pickard Chilton, reminded the audience that a truly livable city harmonizes architecture and landscape, connecting interior and exterior spaces. He urged designers and developers to think holistically — envision placemaking at the scale of Rockefeller Center rather than isolated towers fronted by an indifferent stretch of lawn.
“We should encourage all our projects to think on a bigger scale,” he said, adding that achieving long-term, meaningful results requires the investment community to embrace this broader vision, since finance ultimately drives many decisions in placemaking.
Pickard also argued that some creative tension between market forces and public initiatives can spur higher-quality investment in the urban fabric. And he questioned whether longstanding features like Houston’s underground tunnel system remain the best choice for activating a vibrant street life — suggesting the city might “embrace the reality of the heat” and prioritize a livelier urban core.
Smarter, More Connected Cities
Panel conversations at the event explored how modern metropolises are evolving and what trends are heading Houston’s way: increased mixing of uses, expanded live-work-play environments, grocery-anchored developments, creative workplaces, adaptive reuse, and more active public spaces. These shifts are driven in part by emerging Generation Z, which expects technology-rich, highly sustainable environments that support wellness — including mental health.
“There is a blurring of the boundaries” in how space is defined and used, said Michael Hsu, principal of Michael Hsu Office of Architecture.
Lauren Rottet, CEO and founding principal of Rottet Studio, noted a wave of co-branded ventures and hybrid typologies — terms like “resi-mercial” and “med-tail” reflect experimental blends that were rare five years ago but are now widespread.
These new usage alignments are disrupting traditional business models while creating fresh synergies. Ride-sharing, for example, has changed how people arrive: “drop-offs are the new bus stops,” presenting new opportunities for public life and informal gathering.
Jeffrey Brown, founding principal of Powers Brown Architecture, predicted that future developments will be dense with curated content, deliberately layering experiences to engage visitors.
Lisa Pope Westerman, founder and CEO of Lucid, emphasized that these experiences must be tailored to clearly understood user groups. Developing a user strategy that responds to different sectors is essential to designing places that work.
However, Houston faces distinctive obstacles: the absence of zoning, sprawling development patterns, recurring flooding and limited public transit complicate efforts to create the higher-density projects many believe are necessary. Rising land values and construction costs also make affordability a persistent challenge, pushing developers toward mixed-use solutions.
Scott Ziegler of Ziegler Cooper Architects recommended involving financing professionals earlier in project teams so they understand the broader potential and goals of a development, not just the immediate budget line items.
Pete Ed Garrett, founding partner of Studio Red, noted that financing is becoming more creative as developers tap alternative institutions and funding sources to move projects forward.
Parking is another shifting factor: some areas are reducing parking ratios or removing parking requirements entirely. But change will be gradual. “We’re still a sprawling city. It will take longer,” Ziegler said.
“People want connection but they also want their cars,” observed Gin Braverman, founder and creative director of Gin Design Group — a tension any Houston project must navigate.
Notable Local Trends and Projects
Panelists highlighted several Houston projects that illustrate current trends in urban infill, mixed use and placemaking:
ARIS Market Square (Hines): By acquiring an extra slice of the block to create a pocket park for residents, the development achieved a positive community impact, said Roger Soto, senior principal at HOK. Hanover Square at Allen Parkway and South Shepherd was cited for integrating significant green space into its mixed-use plan.
Houston Center (Brookfield Properties, design by Gensler): The redevelopment is reconnecting the 1970s complex with surrounding streets and Discovery Green, making the center part of the neighborhood fabric, noted Stephanie Burritt, principal and co-managing director at Gensler.
Drewery Place (Caydon): The Australian developer is adapting Melbourne’s laneway tradition — a mix of housing, shops, and eventual hotel and condos — for Midtown Houston.
The POST: A transformative reuse of the Barbara Jordan Post Office that is reshaping its stretch of north downtown, said Jeffrey Brown; Frank Liu is the developer.
La Columbe d’Or (Hines in Montrose): The combination of an established boutique and a new apartment tower drew praise as a thoughtful fusion of retail and residential uses.
Heights Mercantile and M-K-T (Radom Capital): Projects that include public space and programming can activate neighborhoods and create what Michael Hsu called a “secret sauce” for successful places.
Buffalo Bayou Brewing Co.: This project considers how people arrive and then offers layered experiences once they’re on site, Gin Braverman said. White Oak Music Hall was also mentioned as an example of successful programming and the complexities that arise when new uses are introduced into an uncoordinated urban fabric.
Center for Pursuit: The organization’s new campus in EaDo not only supports adults with intellectual disabilities but also creates stronger neighborhood connections, said Stephanie Burritt.
Kinder High School for the Performing and Visual Arts: The school’s state-of-the-art facilities have energized a portion of downtown and regularly draw audiences for high-quality performances, Burritt noted.
The MATCH (Midtown Arts and Theater Center Houston): Studio Red’s Pete Ed Garrett described the project as requiring paradigm shifts — it sits outside downtown, lacks dedicated parking, and uses an outdoor lobby to reduce air-conditioning loads while relying on large overhead fans. Despite constraints, the facility serves 38 nonprofit performing arts groups and broad audiences across the city.
The Menil Collection: Frequently held up as a model, the Menil’s neighborhood campus — including parkland, dining, housing, offices and the Rothko Chapel — demonstrates long-term, modest stewardship that enhances its surroundings. Roger Soto praised the institution as an example of civic-minded philanthropy that strengthens the city. “That represents what makes a city great,” he said: people who care and invest in the public realm.
Feb. 3, 2020. Realty News Report Copyright 2020